Gate-latch.



L. E. FONTAINE.

GATE LATCH. APPLl CATloN FILED JAN-3,1915.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

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LOUIS ELIE FONTAIIIE, OF LEVIS, QUEBEC, CANADA.

GATE-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

Application filed January 3, 1916. Serial No. 69,857.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LOUIS ELIE FON- TAINE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of Levis, in the Province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate-Latches, of which the following is the specification.

This invention relates to improvements in gate latches and the objects of the invention are to simplify the construction thereby cheapening the cost of manufacture, to facilitate in automatically securing the look ing lever in a locked position and generally to adapt the several parts to better perform the functions required of them.

1V ith the above objects in View the invention consists essentially of the improved construction particularly described and set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings forming part of the same.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gate showing the improved latch mounted thereon. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the improved latch. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the latch as seen when mounted on the upper end of the gate post. v

Like characters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a gate of any usual description and B the gate post coacting therewith, on the former of which a hook shaped catch member 10 is mounted by wood screws or the like. The gate post B carries a bracket 11 having its upper end offset and bifurcated as shown at 12 and adapted to embrace the inner end of the lever 13 which is pivotally mounted on the pin 14. This lever is provided intermediate of,its length with a plurality of orifices 13 and the latch member 15 which in the embodiment illustrated is formed like a loop having flanged ends is pivotally mounted on the bolt 16 passing through one of the said orifices,'that end of'the'latch member 15 remote from the bolt 16 being adapted to embrace the hook of the catch member 10 in a manner to be made clear hereafter.

The outer end of the lever 13 may be reduced or formed with a suitable handle 17 so permitting the lever to be gripped when manually operated. This lever is designed to coact with a locking member 18 pivotally mounted on its lower end to the bracket 11 and held. in operative engagement with the lever 13 by'means' of a leaf spring 19, the lower end' of which is rigidly secured to the outer face of the bracket 11 while the upper end l'coacts with the said locking member.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. ,4 the hook shaped catch member 10 has been dispensed with and thepost C of the gate is engaged with the front end of the latch member 15, but in every other respect the lock is substantially the same as that already described.

The assembly of the gate latch will be readily understood from the foregoing description.

When the latch is mounted on a gate it is only necessary to manually press back the locking member 18 thereby permitting the lever 13 to be rotated upwardly, disengaging the front end of the latch member 15 from the hook of the catch member 10 whereupon the said latch member may be rotated upwardly so permitting the gate A to be swung open.

hen the gate is closed and it is found desirable to lock the same the latch member 15 is rotated so that it embraces the hook of the catch member 10 whereupon the lever 13 is rotated downwardly to coact with the locking member 18 laterally displacing the same, and when the lever 13 has been brought to a substantially horizontal position the locking member 18 interlocks therewith under the action of the leaf spring 19 so preventing the lock from being inadvertently or accidentally opened.

It will of course be understood that the function of the hook on the catch member 10 is to permit of the gate being properly locked without the possibility of the latch member 15 exerting an undue tension on the same which would strain the gate.

The operation of the latch as illustrated in Fig. 4: is identical with that described above, the only difference being that the latch member 15 in this case embraces the post C thereby securing the gate in a locked position.

From the above description it will be seen that I have invented a gate latch, cheap of construction but of an exceedingly durable nature, which would be advantageously employed by farmers, railroad companies and the like, the latch being capable of being secured in position with a minimum of cost and labor.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently Widely different embodiments of my invention, Within the scope of the claims, constructed without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification and drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

lVhat I claim as my invention is:

A gate latch of the class described comprising a catch member designed to be secured to the gate, abracket operatively mounted on the gate post, and provided with an upper ofi'set and bifurcated end, a lever pivotally mounted on the bracket, a latch member formed substantially like a loop formed with flanged ends, a bolt securing the flanged ends of the locking member to the lever intermediate of the ends thereof, and a spring controlled locking member coacting with the lever.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS ELIE FON'IAINE.

Witnesses HENRI PELLETIER, GEORGES FONTAINE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

